The Nine Emperors Gods Festival is a nine-day Taoist celebration beginning on the eve of 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar. The eponymous “Nine Emperors”
(九皇大帝, Jiu Huang Da Di) are the nine sons manifested Father Emperor Zhou Yu Dou Fu Yuan Jun and Mother of the Big Dipper Dou Mu Yuan Jun. They are formed by the seven stars of the Big Dipper of the North Ursa Major and two assistant stars.

Trained at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore (1956-58) and the Rome Academy of Fine Arts in 1965-68, Ho Khay Beng is an artist noted for his half-body portraits, having done portraits of dignitaries such as Malaysia’s founding father and first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman; former prime minister Tun Dr. Mahathir and his wife, Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah; Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang; and China artist Qi Baishi (1864-1975).

Inspired to take up art by art pioneer Kuo Ju Ping, Khay Beng took up additional courses in mosaics and sculpture when in Rome, where he had solos at the Galleria Guilla Flavia (1966), Galleria Michelangelo (1967) and Galeria D’ ArteVolschi (1967), and was also featured in an exhibition at the National Art Gallery in Rome in 1967. He was also awarded six gold and silver medals in competitions. Others who followed his Italian art education were Aza Osman and H.H. Lim. Ho Khay Beng taught art at Han Chiang High School in Penang. He was awarded the Overseas Chinese Arts Association Prize in 1968. In 1996, he was paid tribute via a Memorial exhibition held at The Art Gallery Penang.